Chinese fireworks explosion kills 19

An explosion at a fireworks factory outside Harbin in northeastern China
killed 19 people and injured 153, according to state media.

The Xinhua news agency said five people were still missing after the explosion early on Monday in Yichun city. The blast caused a shock wave felt up to three miles away and prompted the evacuation of more than 2,000 residents.

A downpour had flooded a warehouse at the site and the blast occurred when workers were moving fireworks out of the building, local authorities told China Radio International.

The blast was felt up to two miles (about 5 kilometres) away from the factory, and it smashed windows in the local government offices and other buildings, the statement said. Eyewitness’ photos posted to the internet showed plumes of smoke curled above the plant, and the government statement said secondary explosions were preventing rescue workers from entering the building.

Safety is lax at Chinese fireworks plants, and accidental blasts are common. Dozens of people also die each year from unsafe handling of fireworks used to celebrate weddings and traditional holidays.

“We assumed it was an earthquake because the office building trembled and the lamps and clocks fell,” an unnamed employee from a nearby furniture factory told the China Daily newspaper.

“A huge black mushroom cloud was visible. It rose and grew from where the fireworks factory is located,” she said.